What statement best describes the relationship between Jews and their Roman conquerors?

Answer 1

Let's put it this way: the Roman law of Patrias Potestas permitted a householder to kill his slaves. Romans permitted infanticide. Sexual relations between males, which Judaism forbids, was widely practiced by the Romans. The Roman festivals of Bacchus (bacchanalia) got so out of hand that their Emperors banned the festivals from city limits. They were idolaters. All of this was completely different from the Jewish lifestyle and traditions. Add to that the fact that the Romans ruled over Judea for several centuries, destroyed the Jewish Temple, slaughtered all the residents of Beitar (Talmud, Gittin 57a) and squeezed the lifeblood of the people through crushing taxation (Talmud, Yoma 9a).

(In other words, they weren't the best of friends...)

Answer 2

let me guess, u are doing the "The Growth of Judaism" assement? lol i am to. ok between Romans and Jews diagreed but lived together in peace and Jews hated Romans. Um........go with the first one i said. sorry if i am wrong. but get a second opinion.

Answer 3

Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, the two sons of the Jewish King Yannai (Johanan Hyrcanus, 1st century BCE), got the Romans involved in Judea when they asked them to settle a dispute. At first the Romans were cordial; and they actually became party to a military treaty with Judea (Talmud, Avodah Zara 8b). The Romans didn't interfere much in Jewish internal matters, because the main thing that they wanted was taxes and a quiet populace.

A couple of decades later, however, they unilaterally abrogated the treaty, and placed Roman governors over the land who afflicted the Jews with crushing taxation (Talmud, Yoma 9a).

In the first two centuries CE, things got worse, with the Romans destroying Jerusalem and the Second Temple after the Jewish Zealots attempted to revolt. The Romans sold hundreds of thousands of Jews into slavery (Josephus). From time to time they forbade the observance of the Torah-commands, and they killed several of the leading Sages, despite the fact that the Torah-leaders had advised against revolt (Talmud, Gittin 56a).

Later, Simeon Bar Kochba led a second revolt, in an ill-advised attempt to recreate the independent Judea. The Romans responded by destroying Betar.

Answer 4

We had some periods of coexistence with the Romans (as with the later Christians). Otherwise, the Romans were to us a nightmare of cruel despots.

See also the Related Links.

Link: The Destruction

Link: The Revolt

Link: Jewish history timeline

Link: The Jews and the Romans